Tawas Point State Park is on the end of a sand spit on the northwest shore of Lake Huron's Saginaw Bay, west across the bay from Michigan's "thumb" and near Tawas City and East Tawas.
This park is undoubtedly the best migrant trap in the Saginaw Bay area. Birding is best during times of rapid migration such as during strong south
winds in spring and strong north winds in fall. The spring
migrants tend to follow the lakeshore and actually migrate south
for a time to the tip of the point, which faces southwest. Bad
weather after a prolonged high pressure situation also tends to
ground many migrants in the park. Soon after these conditions
subside, the spring migrants slowly work their way northward out
of the park. Equally impressive migrations occur in the fall.
North and westerly winds push passerine migrants south and to the
east edge of the Michigan land mass, respectively. Late August
and September are the best for the majority of passerines. The
stronger flying water birds and sparrows are seen in large
numbers later in the fall (October and early November) especially
during periods of strong north and east winds which force them
south and towards the shoreline. [excerpted, with permission, from Birds and
Bird Finding in the Saginaw Bay Area (1995), by Ron J. Weeks]
The Tawas Point Birding Festival, a three-day event, is held each year in mid May at Tawas Point State Park. The festival includes seminars and field trips to birding sites in the Tawas Point area.
This birding site and its location are described further at the bottom of this document.
Checklist of the Birds of Tawas Point State Park
No claim is made that this is an "official" checklist, but it can be considered a reliable guide to the birds that may be found at Tawas Point State Park.
English Name | Scientific Name |
|
---|
DUCKS, GEESE, and SWANS | Anatidae |
|
Snow Goose | Chen caerulescens |
Canada Goose | Branta canadensis |
Brant [Casual] | Branta bernicla |
Mute Swan | Cygnus olor |
Trumpeter Swan | Cygnus buccinator |
Tundra Swan | Cygnus columbianus |
Wood Duck | Aix sponsa |
Gadwall | Anas strepera |
American Wigeon | Anas americana |
American Black Duck | Anas rubripes |
Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos |
|
Blue-winged Teal | Anas discors |
Northern Shoveler | Anas clypeata |
Northern Pintail | Anas acuta |
Green-winged Teal | Anas crecca |
Canvasback | Aythya valisineria |
Redhead | Aythya americana |
Ring-necked Duck | Aythya collaris |
Greater Scaup | Aythya marila |
Lesser Scaup | Aythya affinis |
Harlequin Duck1 | Histrionicus histrionicus |
Surf Scoter | Melanitta perspicillata |
White-winged Scoter | Melanitta fusca |
Black Scoter | Melanitta americana |
Long-tailed Duck | Clangula hyemalis |
Bufflehead | Bucephala albeola |
Common Goldeneye | Bucephala clangula |
Hooded Merganser | Lophodytes cucullatus |
Common Merganser | Mergus merganser |
Red-breasted Merganser | Mergus serrator |
|
PARTRIDGES, GROUSE, TURKEYS, and OLD WORLD QUAIL | Phasianidae |
|
Ring-necked Pheasant | Phasianus colchicus |
Ruffed Grouse | Bonasa umbellus |
Wild Turkey | Meleagris gallopavo |
|
NEW WORLD QUAIL | Odontophoridae |
|
----- | ----- |
|
LOONS | Gaviidae |
|
Red-throated Loon | Gavia stellata |
Common Loon | Gavia immer |
|
GREBES | Podicipedidae |
|
Pied-billed Grebe | Podilymbus podiceps |
Horned Grebe | Podiceps auritus |
Red-necked Grebe | Podiceps grisegena |
|
BOOBIES and GANNETS | Sulidae |
|
----- | ----- |
|
PELICANS | Pelecanidae |
|
American White Pelican | Pelecanus erythrorhynchos |
|
CORMORANTS | Phalacrocoracidae |
|
Double-crested Cormorant | Phalacrocorax auritus |
|
BITTERNS, HERONS, and ALLIES | Ardeidae |
|
American Bittern | Botaurus lentiginosus |
Least Bittern | Ixobrychus exilis |
Great Blue Heron | Ardea herodias |
Great Egret | Ardea alba |
Snowy Egret | Egretta thula |
Tricolored Heron [Casual] | Egretta tricolor |
Green Heron | Butorides virescens |
Black-crowned Night-Heron | Nycticorax nycticorax |
|
IBISES and SPOONBILLS | Threskiornithidae |
|
----- | ----- |
|
NEW WORLD VULTURES | Cathartidae |
|
Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura |
|
KITES, HAWKS, EAGLES, and ALLIES | Accipitridae |
|
Osprey | Pandion haliaetus |
Bald Eagle | Haliaeetus leucocephalus |
Northern Harrier | Circus cyaneus |
Sharp-shinned Hawk | Accipiter striatus |
Cooper's Hawk | Accipiter cooperii |
Northern Goshawk | Accipiter gentilis |
Red-shouldered Hawk | Buteo lineatus |
Broad-winged Hawk | Buteo platypterus |
Red-tailed Hawk | Buteo jamaicensis |
Rough-legged Hawk | Buteo lagopus |
Golden Eagle | Aquila chrysaetos |
|
CARACARAS and FALCONS | Falconidae |
|
American Kestrel | Falco sparverius |
Merlin | Falco columbarius |
Gyrfalcon | Falco rusticolus |
Peregrine Falcon | Falco peregrinus |
|
RAILS, GALLINULES, and COOTS | Rallidae |
|
Virginia Rail | Rallus limicola |
Sora | Porzana carolina |
Common Moorhen | Gallinula chloropus |
American Coot | Fulica americana |
|
CRANES | Gruidae |
|
Sandhill Crane | Grus canadensis |
|
PLOVERS and LAPWINGS | Charadriidae |
|
Black-bellied Plover | Pluvialis squatarola |
American Golden-Plover | Pluvialis dominica |
Wilson's Plover [Accidental] | Charadrius wilsonia |
Semipalmated Plover | Charadrius semipalmatus |
Piping Plover | Charadrius melodus |
Killdeer | Charadrius vociferus |
|
STILTS and AVOCETS | Recurvirostridae |
|
American Avocet | Recurvirostra americana |
|
SANDPIPERS, PHALAROPES, and ALLIES | Scolopacidae |
|
Spotted Sandpiper | Actitis macularius |
Solitary Sandpiper | Tringa solitaria |
Greater Yellowlegs | Tringa melanoleuca |
Willet | Tringa semipalmata |
Lesser Yellowlegs | Tringa flavipes |
Upland Sandpiper | Bartramia longicauda |
Whimbrel | Numenius phaeopus |
Hudsonian Godwit | Limosa haemastica |
Marbled Godwit | Limosa fedoa |
Ruddy Turnstone | Arenaria interpres |
Red Knot | Calidris canutus |
Sanderling | Calidris alba |
Semipalmated Sandpiper | Calidris pusilla |
Western Sandpiper | Calidris mauri |
Least Sandpiper | Calidris minutilla |
White-rumped Sandpiper | Calidris fuscicollis |
Baird's Sandpiper | Calidris bairdii |
Pectoral Sandpiper | Calidris melanotos |
Dunlin | Calidris alpina |
Stilt Sandpiper | Calidris himantopus |
Buff-breasted Sandpiper | Tryngites subruficollis |
Ruff [Casual] | Philomachus pugnax |
Short-billed Dowitcher | Limnodromus griseus |
Long-billed Dowitcher | Limnodromus scolopaceus |
Wilson's Snipe | Gallinago delicata |
American Woodcock | Scolopax minor |
Wilson's Phalarope | Phalaropus tricolor |
Red-necked Phalarope | Phalaropus lobatus |
Red Phalarope [Casual] | Phalaropus fulicarius |
|
GULLS, TERNS, and SKIMMERS | Laridae |
|
Bonaparte's Gull | Chroicocephalus philadelphia |
Black-headed Gull [Accidental] | Chroicocephalus ridibundus |
Little Gull | Hydrocoloeus minutus |
Laughing Gull | Leucophaeus atricilla |
Franklin's Gull | Leucophaeus pipixcan |
Mew Gull [Accidental] | Larus canus |
Ring-billed Gull | Larus delawarensis |
Herring Gull | Larus argentatus |
Thayer's Gull | Larus thayeri |
Iceland Gull | Larus glaucoides |
Lesser Black-backed Gull | Larus fuscus |
Glaucous Gull | Larus hyperboreus |
Great Black-backed Gull | Larus marinus |
Least Tern [Casual] | Sternula antillarum |
Caspian Tern | Hydroprogne caspia |
Black Tern | Chlidonias niger |
Common Tern | Sterna hirundo |
Forster's Tern | Sterna forsteri |
|
SKUAS and JAEGERS | Stercorariidae |
|
jaeger species | Stercorarius --- |
|
PIGEONS and DOVES | Columbidae |
|
Rock Pigeon | Columba livia |
Mourning Dove | Zenaida macroura |
|
CUCKOOS, ROADRUNNERS, and ANIS | Cuculidae |
|
Yellow-billed Cuckoo | Coccyzus americanus |
Black-billed Cuckoo | Coccyzus erythropthalmus |
|
BARN OWLS | Tytonidae |
|
Barn Owl [Accidental] | Tyto alba |
|
TYPICAL OWLS | Strigidae |
|
Eastern Screech-Owl | Megascops asio |
Great Horned Owl | Bubo virginianus |
Snowy Owl | Bubo scandiacus |
Barred Owl | Strix varia |
Long-eared Owl | Asio otus |
Short-eared Owl | Asio flammeus |
Northern Saw-whet Owl | Aegolius acadicus |
|
GOATSUCKERS | Caprimulgidae |
|
Common Nighthawk | Chordeiles minor |
Eastern Whip-poor-will | Caprimulgus vociferus |
|
SWIFTS | Apodidae |
|
White-collared Swift [Accidental] | Streptoprocne zonaris |
Chimney Swift | Chaetura pelagica |
|
HUMMINGBIRDS | Trochilidae |
|
Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Archilochus colubris |
|
KINGFISHERS | Alcedinidae |
|
Belted Kingfisher | Megaceryle alcyon |
|
WOODPECKERS and ALLIES | Picidae |
|
Red-headed Woodpecker | Melanerpes erythrocephalus |
Red-bellied Woodpecker | Melanerpes carolinus |
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus varius |
Downy Woodpecker | Picoides pubescens |
Hairy Woodpecker | Picoides villosus |
Black-backed Woodpecker | Picoides arcticus |
Northern Flicker | Colaptes auratus |
Pileated Woodpecker | Dryocopus pileatus |
|
TYRANT FLYCATCHERS | Tyrannidae |
|
Olive-sided Flycatcher | Contopus cooperi |
Eastern Wood-Pewee | Contopus virens |
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher | Empidonax flaviventris |
Acadian Flycatcher | Empidonax virescens |
Alder Flycatcher | Empidonax alnorum |
Willow Flycatcher | Empidonax traillii |
Least Flycatcher | Empidonax minimus |
Eastern Phoebe | Sayornis phoebe |
Say's Phoebe [Casual] | Sayornis saya |
Great Crested Flycatcher | Myiarchus crinitus |
Couch's Kingbird2 [Accidental] | Tyrannus couchii |
Western Kingbird | Tyrannus verticalis |
Eastern Kingbird | Tyrannus tyrannus |
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher3 [Casual] | Tyrannus forficatus |
|
SHRIKES | Laniidae |
|
Loggerhead Shrike | Lanius ludovicianus |
Northern Shrike | Lanius excubitor |
|
VIREOS | Vireonidae |
|
White-eyed Vireo | Vireo griseus |
Bell's Vireo [Casual] | Vireo bellii |
Yellow-throated Vireo | Vireo flavifrons |
Blue-headed Vireo | Vireo solitarius |
Warbling Vireo | Vireo gilvus |
Philadelphia Vireo | Vireo philadelphicus |
Red-eyed Vireo | Vireo olivaceus |
|
JAYS, MAGPIES, and CROWS | Corvidae |
|
Blue Jay | Cyanocitta cristata |
American Crow | Corvus brachyrhynchos |
Common Raven | Corvus corax |
|
LARKS | Alaudidae |
|
Horned Lark | Eremophila alpestris |
|
SWALLOWS | Hirundinidae |
|
Purple Martin | Progne subis |
Tree Swallow | Tachycineta bicolor |
Northern Rough-winged Swallow | Stelgidopteryx serripennis |
Bank Swallow | Riparia riparia |
Cliff Swallow | Petrochelidon pyrrhonota |
Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica |
|
CHICKADEES and TITMICE | Paridae |
|
Black-capped Chickadee | Poecile atricapillus |
Tufted Titmouse | Baeolophus bicolor |
|
NUTHATCHES | Sittidae |
|
Red-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta canadensis |
White-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta carolinensis |
|
CREEPERS | Certhiidae |
|
Brown Creeper | Certhia americana |
|
WRENS | Troglodytidae |
|
Carolina Wren | Thryothorus ludovicianus |
House Wren | Troglodytes aedon |
Winter Wren | Troglodytes hiemalis |
Sedge Wren | Cistothorus platensis |
Marsh Wren | Cistothorus palustris |
|
KINGLETS | Regulidae |
|
Golden-crowned Kinglet | Regulus satrapa |
Ruby-crowned Kinglet | Regulus calendula |
|
OLD WORLD WARBLERS and GNATCATCHERS | Sylviidae |
|
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | Polioptila caerulea |
|
THRUSHES | Turdidae |
|
Eastern Bluebird | Sialia sialis |
Townsend's Solitaire | Myadestes townsendi |
Veery | Catharus fuscescens |
Gray-cheeked Thrush | Catharus minimus |
Swainson's Thrush | Catharus ustulatus |
Hermit Thrush | Catharus guttatus |
Wood Thrush | Hylocichla mustelina |
American Robin | Turdus migratorius |
|
MOCKINGBIRDS, THRASHERS, and ALLIES | Mimidae |
|
Gray Catbird | Dumetella carolinensis |
Northern Mockingbird | Mimus polyglottos |
Brown Thrasher | Toxostoma rufum |
|
STARLINGS and ALLIES | Sturnidae |
|
European Starling | Sturnus vulgaris |
|
WAGTAILS and PIPITS | Motacillidae |
|
American Pipit | Anthus rubescens |
|
WAXWINGS | Bombycillidae |
|
Bohemian Waxwing | Bombycilla garrulus |
Cedar Waxwing | Bombycilla cedrorum |
|
LONGSPURS and ALLIES | Calcaridae |
|
Lapland Longspur | Calcarius lapponicus |
Snow Bunting | Plectrophenax nivalis |
|
WOOD-WARBLERS | Parulidae |
|
Blue-winged Warbler | Vermivora pinus |
Golden-winged Warbler | Vermivora chrysoptera |
Tennessee Warbler | Oreothlypis peregrina |
Orange-crowned Warbler | Oreothlypis celata |
Nashville Warbler | Oreothlypis ruficapilla |
Northern Parula | Parula americana |
Yellow Warbler | Dendroica petechia |
Chestnut-sided Warbler | Dendroica pensylvanica |
Magnolia Warbler | Dendroica magnolia |
Cape May Warbler | Dendroica tigrina |
Black-throated Blue Warbler | Dendroica caerulescens |
Yellow-rumped Warbler | Dendroica coronata |
Black-throated Green Warbler | Dendroica virens |
Blackburnian Warbler | Dendroica fusca |
Yellow-throated Warbler | Dendroica dominica |
Pine Warbler | Dendroica pinus |
Kirtland's Warbler | Dendroica kirtlandii |
Prairie Warbler | Dendroica discolor |
Palm Warbler | Dendroica palmarum |
Bay-breasted Warbler | Dendroica castanea |
Blackpoll Warbler | Dendroica striata |
Cerulean Warbler | Dendroica cerulea |
Black-and-white Warbler | Mniotilta varia |
American Redstart | Setophaga ruticilla |
Prothonotary Warbler | Protonotaria citrea |
Worm-eating Warbler | Helmitheros vermivorum |
Ovenbird | Seiurus aurocapilla |
Northern Waterthrush | Parkesia noveboracensis |
Louisiana Waterthrush | Parkesia motacilla |
Connecticut Warbler | Oporornis agilis |
Mourning Warbler | Oporornis philadelphia |
Common Yellowthroat | Geothlypis trichas |
Hooded Warbler | Wilsonia citrina |
Wilson's Warbler | Wilsonia pusilla |
Canada Warbler | Wilsonia canadensis |
Yellow-breasted Chat | Icteria virens |
|
TANAGERS | Thraupidae |
|
Summer Tanager | Piranga rubra |
Scarlet Tanager | Piranga olivacea |
Western Tanager [Casual] | Piranga ludoviciana |
|
NEW WORLD SPARROWS and ALLIES | Emberizidae |
|
Eastern Towhee | Pipilo erythrophthalmus |
American Tree Sparrow | Spizella arborea |
Chipping Sparrow | Spizella passerina |
Clay-colored Sparrow | Spizella pallida |
Field Sparrow | Spizella pusilla |
Vesper Sparrow | Pooecetes gramineus |
Lark Sparrow [Casual] | Chondestes grammacus |
Savannah Sparrow | Passerculus sandwichensis |
Grasshopper Sparrow | Ammodramus savannarum |
Henslow's Sparrow | Ammodramus henslowii |
Le Conte's Sparrow | Ammodramus leconteii |
Fox Sparrow | Passerella iliaca |
Song Sparrow | Melospiza melodia |
Lincoln's Sparrow | Melospiza lincolnii |
Swamp Sparrow | Melospiza georgiana |
White-throated Sparrow | Zonotrichia albicollis |
Harris's Sparrow | Zonotrichia querula |
White-crowned Sparrow | Zonotrichia leucophrys |
Dark-eyed Junco | Junco hyemalis |
|
CARDINALS and ALLIES | Cardinalidae |
|
Northern Cardinal | Cardinalis cardinalis |
Rose-breasted Grosbeak | Pheucticus ludovicianus |
Blue Grosbeak [Casual] | Passerina caerulea |
Indigo Bunting | Passerina cyanea |
Dickcissel | Spiza americana |
|
BLACKBIRDS and ALLIES | Icteridae |
|
Bobolink | Dolichonyx oryzivorus |
Red-winged Blackbird | Agelaius phoeniceus |
Eastern Meadowlark | Sturnella magna |
Western Meadowlark | Sturnella neglecta |
Yellow-headed Blackbird | Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus |
Rusty Blackbird | Euphagus carolinus |
Brewer's Blackbird | Euphagus cyanocephalus |
Common Grackle | Quiscalus quiscula |
Brown-headed Cowbird | Molothrus ater |
Orchard Oriole | Icterus spurius |
Baltimore Oriole | Icterus galbula |
|
FINCHES and ALLIES | Fringillidae |
|
Pine Grosbeak | Pinicola enucleator |
Purple Finch | Carpodacus purpureus |
House Finch | Carpodacus mexicanus |
Red Crossbill | Loxia curvirostra |
White-winged Crossbill | Loxia leucoptera |
Common Redpoll | Carduelis flammea |
Hoary Redpoll | Carduelis hornemanni |
Pine Siskin | Carduelis pinus |
American Goldfinch | Carduelis tristis |
Evening Grosbeak | Coccothraustes vespertinus |
|
OLD WORLD SPARROWS | Passeridae |
|
House Sparrow | Passer domesticus |
TOTAL SPECIES COUNT FOR TAWAS POINT STATE PARK: 298
The above species count is for all birds in the list, including species listed below.
1Harlequin Duck - G. T. Moulthrop; November 1958 or 1959 // The following is from Ron Weeks: Gene Kenaga's book (1983) on the Saginaw Bay area says that the Harlequin record is from the unpublished records of G. T. Moulthrop for "first week in Nov 1958 or 1959 Tawas Pt." The sighting may have been at the fishing area just north of the park. It is not possible to say that the sighting was from the park proper as records are designated only "Tawas Pt" in Kenaga's book. Further, Tawas Point State Park may not even have been established in the late 1950s.
2Couch's Kingbird - Sight and voice record, May 27, 2007.
3Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - Myrtle & Elmer Wilke, et al. (Midland Nature Club field trip); May 19, 1984 (Weeks 1995). This record is undocumented and so is not accepted by the MBRC.
MBRC Review List species are in blue. top
List Contributors
This checklist has been constructed using input from a number of birders who have been among the most frequent and regular visitors to Tawas Point State Park but largely from a list that Ron Weeks emailed to me. I have also used a printed checklist from Tawas Point State Park (copyright Ron Weeks), compiled in November 1997. (Gary Nelkie may be maintaining a current version of that same list.) The Michigan Bird Records Committee, too, has contributed to and reviewed this list. If you have a species in your Tawas Point State Park list that is not in the above checklist, you are invited to submit it for inclusion.
Location
The Tawas Point State Park is located just over an hour's drive north of the Saginaw-Midland-Bay City tri-cities area and less than three hours from the Detroit area. It is at the extreme northwest corner of Saginaw Bay.
Directions and Maps
Location, directions, and site maps
Description
The following description was excerpted, with permission, from the section on Tawas Point State Park in A Birder's Guide to Michigan (2004), by Allen T. Chartier and Jerry Ziarno.
Tawas Point State Park is one of the the premier birding spots in the Midwest, with more than 290 species recorded. A sandy cape, sometimes referred to as "Michigan's Cape Cod," hooks south and slightly west into Saginaw Bay. The point is an exciting migrant trap in the spring, but can also be
very productive through the summer and into autumn. The park consists of
200 acres, with over 200 excellent campsites and long, sandy beaches on both
sides of the point. Trails lead from the parking area out to the end of the point
and past a lighthouse which is usually open for tours. In early spring and late
fall, large numbers of diving ducks ... [are present] in the open waters of Saginaw Bay. A variety of shorebirds may be seen feeding on the vast areas of sand beach, with good numbers arriving in mid-May and remaining through the end of the month and into early June. Fall migrants may arrive early in July, with stragglers lingering to November. ...
Tawas Point is best known for the major fallouts of passerines which occur during migration, generally when weather fronts move through the area
in spring. The best time to witness such an event is usually during the period
of May 15-25. The trees on the exposed point are not very tall, enabling good
views of the many species of passerines that can be present. It is not unusual
to observe as many as 24 species of warblers in a single day. ...
Excellent spots for viewing passerines, especially warblers, during a fallout
are the scrub pines immediately to the south of the lighthouse, the
brushy areas to the right (west) of the main trail about halfway down to the tip, and the scrubby trees at the point itself. Another dependable warbler hotspot is the area between the lighthouse and the campground. Because of Tawas Point's location, there is always the possibility of true rarities. ...
In addition to the Chartier and Ziarno book, see the book by Ron Weeks, Birds and
Bird Finding in the Saginaw Bay Area (1995). Also see Joe Soehnel's Saginaw Bay Birding web site.
Access
Tawas Point State Park is open for birding year round. A Michigan
State Park Motor Vehicle Permit is required for entry. You may purchase an
annual permit ($24, or $6 for seniors 65+) or day permit ($6) as you enter
the park. Permits are good at all Michigan state parks and recreation areas.
There is good parking east of the lighthouse and nearby restrooms
in a building near the parking lots. At times you may find the
gift shop open and the lighthouse open for tours.
There is a large campground area at the north end of the park.
The campground is always open, and if the gate to the main part
of the park is closed when you get there, you can always park
where the garbage dumpsters are located just opposite the
campground entrance and walk in from there.
The gate for automobile access to the day use area and lighthouse is
open year round and 24 hours per day except from May to September.
During those months the gate is closed at 10:00pm and opened at
8:00am.
The entire park is open for walking, but some sections of the
beaches (marked) are off limits in spring and summer months as
Piping Plovers have several times attempted nesting here.
If you have any questions regarding the State Park, you can call
(989) 362-5041 or contact the Manager, Chuck Allen, at allence(AT)michigan.gov.
Bruce M. Bowman, 2150 Spruceway Ln., Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103 / (734) 994-5398
Bird Checklist for Tawas Point State Park
Bird Checklist for Tawas Point State Park
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created by / comments to: Bruce M. Bowman bbowman99@comcast.net
created: August 11, 2005
last modified: January 8, 2011
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URL: http://www.umich.edu/~bbowman/birds/michigan/tawas_pt.html
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